Utah Driver's License Issue Date: Where to Find ISS and What It Means
The issue date on a Utah driver's license is labeled ISS and appears on the front of the card. If a form asks for your license issue date and you hold a Utah license, ISS is the field you want. Here is what every abbreviation and date field on your card means.
Table Of Contents
- 1. Where to find the issue date on a Utah driver's license
- 2. Date fields on a Utah driver's license
- 3. What does DD mean on a Utah driver's license?
- 4. Restrictions on a Utah driver's license: read the code carefully
- 5. Utah REAL ID
- 6. Utah charges less to renew online
- 7. How to renew a Utah driver's license
- 8. How to find your original Utah licensing date
- 9. Common mistakes when entering your Utah license issue date
Where to find the issue date on a Utah driver's license
On the current Utah license design, the issue date is labeled ISS and printed on the front of the card. ISS stands for Issue Date and shows when the Driver License Division printed your current card. Renewing resets the ISS date. Your license number does not change.
Only 1% of California drivers answer all 3 correctly
Think you know the rules? Most licensed drivers miss at least one.
At 60 mph on a dry California freeway, what is the recommended minimum following distance?
Date fields on a Utah driver's license
Utah licenses carry three date fields on the front:
Preparing for your DMV test?
Download our free iOS app — 1,164+ practice questions in 11 languages, flashcards, and offline study!
- ISS: Issue date. When your current card was printed.
- DOB: Date of birth. Used for identity and age verification.
- EXP: Expiration date. Utah driver licenses run 5 years for most adult drivers.
When a form asks for your "driver's license issue date," enter the date next to ISS. When it asks for "date of birth," enter DOB. They sit close together on the card and are easy to confuse at a glance.
What does DD mean on a Utah driver's license?
DD stands for Document Discriminator, a serial number unique to your physical card. It changes every time a new card is printed, even though your license number stays the same. Banks, rental counters, and identity verification systems read the DD to confirm a card is genuine and unaltered.
If a form asks for a "document number" separate from your license number, it usually wants the DD.
Restrictions on a Utah driver's license: read the code carefully
Utah publishes its restriction codes in the state administrative rules, and they do not line up with the lettering used by several other states. The difference that trips people up most: in Utah, code A means no restrictions at all, while in some states A marks a corrective lenses requirement. Utah puts corrective lenses under B.
Codes defined in Utah Administrative Code R708-10 include:
- A: No restrictions
- B: Corrective lenses required
- C: Mechanical aid or compensatory device required in the vehicle
- D: Prosthetic aid required
- F: Outside rearview mirrors required
- G: Daylight driving only
- 1: Ignition interlock device required
- 7: Automatic transmission only
Driving in violation of a restriction printed on your license is a traffic offense in Utah.
Utah REAL ID
Utah issues both standard and REAL ID-compliant licenses. A REAL ID Utah card carries a gold star in the upper corner. Since May 7, 2025, a REAL ID or another accepted federal document has been required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities. A standard card without the star still works for driving and everyday identification.
To upgrade, visit a Driver License Division office in person with proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two documents showing your Utah address.
Utah charges less to renew online
Utah prices the same renewal two ways. An adult Class D renewal is $52 at a Driver License Division office and $42 online, so eligible drivers save $10 by not visiting a counter.
The discount carries into the senior rate. Drivers 65 and older pay $27 in person or $22 online. Online renewal is not open to everyone, since a new photo, a REAL ID upgrade, or a CDL transaction still requires an office visit, but it is worth checking your eligibility before you drive over.
How to renew a Utah driver's license
The Utah Driver License Division handles licensing for the state. Eligible drivers can renew through Utah's online driver license renewal service, and the full fee schedule is published on the Driver License Division fees page. Cards are mailed rather than printed at the counter, so allow several weeks for delivery.
- ISS is the label for the issue date on your Utah license. It shows when the Driver License Division issued your current card.
- ISS is not your date of birth (DOB) and not your expiration date (EXP): enter the date next to ISS when a form asks for "license issue date."
- If you renewed your license, the ISS date on your current card reflects the renewal, not your original license date.
- The DD field (Document Discriminator) is a card serial number, not a date: do not enter it as an issue date.
How to find your original Utah licensing date
The ISS date shows when your current card was printed, not when you first became licensed in Utah. If an insurer, employer, or CDL application asks for your original licensing date, request your Utah driving record from the Driver License Division. The record covers your full licensing history rather than a single card.
Common mistakes when entering your Utah license issue date
- Use the date next to ISS when any form asks for your "license issue date" or "date issued"
- Check the date format the form expects: some want MM/DD/YYYY, others want YYYY-MM-DD
- If you have a renewed license, use the ISS date on your current card, not the date you first got a license
- Check your eligibility to renew online: it saves $10 on an adult Class D renewal
- Read Utah restriction code A as no restrictions, not as a corrective lenses requirement
- Allow several weeks for your card to arrive, since Utah mails licenses rather than printing them at the counter
- Don't enter your DOB (date of birth) when a form asks for the issue date: they are completely different fields
- Don't enter your EXP (expiration date) as the issue date: expiration is when the license ends, not when it was issued
- Don't use the issue date from an old expired license if you have a current one
- Don't enter the DD (Document Discriminator) number as your issue date: it's a card serial number, not a date
- Don't apply another state's restriction lettering to a Utah card: Utah puts corrective lenses under B, not A
- Don't budget the in-person price if you qualify to renew online at the lower rate
Comparing states? See our driver's license guide by state or the California issue date guide. Studying for a knowledge test? Try a free DMV practice test.
